1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to infant seats for motor vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an infant seat having an overhead guide member for directing the inflation of an airbag.
2. Disclosure Information
Specialized infant seating systems for restraining infants in motor vehicles are well known. These devices generally take the form of cradle-like structural housings which may be secured on top of a sitting surface of a conventional primary seat. The present invention improves these well known infant seating systems by providing an overhead guide member for directing the inflation of an airbag. The present invention further provides an infant seat integrated within a primary seat thereby increasing the convenience and ease of use associated with infant seats when provided with an overhead guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,135 issued to Freeland and European Patent No. 516495 issued to Rena, represent improvements to infant seating systems by providing an infant seat which may be stored within the sitting surface of a primary seat. Freeland teaches the concept of hingedly fixing the infant seat back and primary seat cushion element to the forward edge of the primary seat. Rena shows an alternative design in which the integrated infant seat slides out of the primary seat cushion on an arcuate track. More particularly, Rena's infant seat includes a part of the primary seat cushion that pivots upward to form an infant headrest, and another part that pivots downward to form an infant seat. Neither of these integrated infant seats, nor the well known cradle-like infants seats provide an overhead guide for directing the inflation of an airbag. Such an overhead guide would provide the added benefit of shielding the infant from bright sunshine.
It would be desirable to provide both cradle-like and integrated infant seats with an overhead guide for directing the inflation of an airbag.